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Friday, December 18, 2015

Life's Journey

Life really looks different from my vantage point now than it did many years ago. There's been so many experiences, observations, and insights in the many years I've traveled this journey. As I age, my view becomes more detailed, my perspective more forgiving, and my hope greater with regard to all that is possible in this big, complex, and unfathomable world we live in.

Each of our journeys is so different. For some, the challenges arise from birth providing a constant source of struggle and challenge with little reprieve. The strong endure this tough early start particularly if there are those around them to love and take care of them. For others, the journey as a child is smooth and mostly happy creating little challenge or struggle. For those, the challenges may strike greater when they do hit at a later age. There may be some for whom there's been little challenge for most of their lives, but I suspect that most of us have our fair share of challenge along the way.

This morning my son had to write an award introduction for a person he admired. He gave that person the Helping Hand Award and his short speech reminded me of what's important in life as he illustrated an admirable person's many wonderful attributes, contributions, and effect on the lives of others including my son. As I read the speech, I thought to myself that the person he wrote about would be proud to read my son's words, words that demonstrated that a whole lot of small acts of kindness and care can add up to one big life of significance.

The holidays bring life's journey to light particularly when you work with young children. While they are starry eyed, they are also cognizant of the many struggles and challenges that exist in their young lives. For many, they know life isn't easy sometimes for those they love, and truly what they want most is peaceful care and community. Most children would rather care for another than worry about themselves because at their core, they are most loving and kind.

As the journey continues through this holiday season, and now that that the assignments for the end of the semester are almost complete, I find myself wondering what I'll do to make this a truly blessed holiday season, one that is built on small acts of love and care that brighten my day and the days of those around me.